Method and apparatus for manipulating rod-shaped articles

ABSTRACT

Cigarettes of multiple unit length are severed to yield pairs of shorter cigarettes which form two rows. The cigarettes of one row are inverted end-for-end and added to the other row to form a single third row. The cigarettes of the third row are thereupon tested for the presence of defects and the defective cigarettes are segregated so that the third row contains only satisfactory articles which are stacked in chargers.

United States Patent Kochalski et al.

[ May 16, 1972 [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING ROD-SHAPEDARTICLES [72] Inventors: Horst Kochalski, Hamburg-Lohbrugge; WillyRudszinat', Dassendorf; Harry David; Otto Erdmann, both of Hamburg-Bergedorf; Ludwig Rode, Neu Boernsen; Hans Suck, Hamburg-Neuengamme, allof Germany [73] Assignee: Hauni-Werke Koerber 8: Co. KG,Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany [22] Filed: May 4, 1970 [21] Appl. No.:34,357

Related U.S. Application Data [60] Division of Ser. No. 806,035, Mar. 6,1969, Pat. No. 3,519,143, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 533,942,Mar. 14, 1966, abandoned, which is a division of Ser. No. 306,368, Sept.3, 1963, Pat. No. 3,245,558, which is a division of Ser. No. 181,669,Mar. 22, 1965, Pat. No. 3,190,459.

[52] U.S. Cl ..209/73, 198/33 AC [51] Int. Cl. ..B07c 3/02 [58] Field ofSearch ..209/73, 74, 72; 198/33 AC, 198/32; 214/6 DS, 6 N; 53/148; 73/45[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1962 Groppe ..209/74x6/1961 Pinkham.... .1

1,188,368 6/1916 Molins ..53/l48 2,965,215 12/1960 Molins.... 198/33 AC2,919,529 l/l960 Hi1lrnan.l ..53/148 Primary Examiner-Allen N. KnowlesAttorney-Michael S. Striker [5 7] ABSTRACT Cigarettes of multiple unitlength are severed to yield pairs of shorter cigarettes which form tworows. The cigarettes of one row are inverted end-for-end and added tothe other row to fonn a single third row. The cigarettes of the thirdrow are thereupon tested for the presence of defects and the defectivecigarettes are segregated so that the third row contains onlysatisfactory articles which are stacked in chargers.

5 Claims, 76 Drawing Figures PATENTEuMAHswn 3.662.880

sum 01 0F 22 lNVENTURS MOI-s1 kowusm may lull-mar Mil! AW) u; a n:

n40: Sm

BYMu MI-JM- ATTORNEY PATBITEDIAHBM 3.662.880

SHEET 03 [1F 22 lNVEN TURS nmsr rump may nwwefc Mun orra ennu (m I rotPATENT'EDIAY 16 van SHEET 05 0F 22 A TTURNE Y PATENTEDMHBIBIZ 3.662.880

sum 08 [1F 22 wvzuroRs Hour In F1924 may lam/pr Ill 0501:

PATENTEDIAY 16 I972 sum 09 HF 22 INVEN um;

PATENTEDHAY 16 m2 sum 11 or 22 Fig. 36

PATENTEDHAY 16 m2 3.662.880

SHEET 12 or 22 Fig-36 PATENTEDMYISIWZ 3,662,880

sum 13 or 22 1N VENTORS "or! T (Mull we layrumf mu 94w Orro scum uugwa1004. 3y mus sac:

ATTORNE Y PATENTEMAY 161972 3.662.880

/NVENTORS H0047 tau/nun umty gapfzmnr #4 I 4 m 0710 e 9% bun/r: m

PATENTEDMHswn 3,662,880

sum 18 0F 22 x I v w, V

, H M/VE I VTORS "if cum I 4750 may; Dayna/0f "Ally l) arr eta/aw,

bun/clap:

Imo't {ac/ 1 04 K 4/, ATTCWVE

1. A method of manipulating filter cigarettes and like rodshapedarticles, comprising the steps of feeding two first rows of rod-shapedarticles in a predetermined direction so that the articles of both firstrows travel sideways; converting said first rows into a single third rowof rod-shaped articles; testing the articles of said third row for thepresence of defects; segregating only defective articles from thesatisfactory articles of said third row; and assembling satisfactoryarticles of said third row into stacks.
 2. A method as set forth inclaim 1, wherein said converting step comprises inverting all articlesof one of said first rows end for end through substantially 180* andplacing the thus inverted articles between the articles of the otherfirst row.
 3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said assemblystep comprises collecting satisfactory articles of said third row intogroups and stacking such groups on top of each other.
 4. Apparatus formanipulating filter cigarettes and like rod-shaped articles, comprisingmeans for feeding two first rows of rod-shaped articles in apredetermined direction so that the articles of both first rows travelsideways; converting means including inverting means for invertingarticles of one first row end for end and for placing the thus invertedarticles between the articles of the other first row to form therewith asingle third row of articles which move sideways; testing means fortesting the articles of said third row for the presence of defects andfor segregating only defective articles of said third row fromsatisfactory articles; and means for assembling the satisfactoryarticles of said third row into stacks of superimposed parallelarticles.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said invertingmeans comprises a rotary member and means for turning the articles ofthe one first row end for end through substantially 180* while thearticles of the one first row travel with said rotary member.